Stretchheads
Encyclopedia
Stretchheads were a punk
band from Erskine
, Scotland
active between 1987 and 1991, releasing two albums in that period.
), P6 (aka "Fat Bastard", "Wilberforce", real name Phil Eaglesham, vocals
), with the line-up completed by Mofungo Diggs (Steven MacDougall, bass
) and Richie Dempsey (drums). The band wore asbestos firewear, gas masks, flashy shirts and balaclavas on stage, and after support slots with the Happy Mondays, The Wonderstuff and The Shamen. They began their recording career on the Moksha Recordings label with the Bros are Pish EP
, poking fun at then chart-toppers Bros
, among others. This resulted in discussion in a Smash Hits inerview, with Craig explaining to the Goss brothers what 'Pish' Meant. Their debut album, Five Fingers, Four Fingers, a Thumb, a Facelift and a New Identity followed in 1989. Dempsey departed to join Dawson, and was replaced by Mr. Jason (Jason Boyce) of the Dandilion Adventure, and the band were signed up by top indie label Blast First
. Their first release on Blast First was the 1990 EP Eyeball Origami Aftermath Wit Vegetarian Leg. A further single 23 Skinner followed in January 1991 before their second album was issued, Pish In Your Sleazebag. Touring Europe and playing shows with Dutch band Revenge Of The Carrots and old colleagues Dog Faced Hermans, the band split up in 1992, before which they recorded a session for John Peel
's BBC Radio 1
show. Two years later, their last, posthumous, release was the Barbed Anal Exciter EP.
Phil Eaglesham and Richie Dempsey are currently both members of DeSalvo, along with Allan Stewart of Idlewild
and Alex Grant, formerly of Idlewild. The band released their debut album on Mogwai's Rock Action Records in 2008.
, and attempted to take the sound of those bands to a new extreme. They have since been compared to the Japanese noise rock of the Boredoms and Ruins. p6's vocals have been described as "inhuman, reminiscent of nothing so much as Sesame Street's Grover with electrodes affixed to his genitals", with their music described as "the weirdest, fastest and heaviest thing ever to come cartwheeling out of the British Isles".
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Erskine
Erskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
active between 1987 and 1991, releasing two albums in that period.
History
The band was formed in 1987 by Andy Maconald (aka "Dr. Technology", guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), P6 (aka "Fat Bastard", "Wilberforce", real name Phil Eaglesham, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), with the line-up completed by Mofungo Diggs (Steven MacDougall, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Richie Dempsey (drums). The band wore asbestos firewear, gas masks, flashy shirts and balaclavas on stage, and after support slots with the Happy Mondays, The Wonderstuff and The Shamen. They began their recording career on the Moksha Recordings label with the Bros are Pish EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, poking fun at then chart-toppers Bros
Bros
Bros were a British band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, consisting of twin brothers Matt Goss and Luke Goss along with Craig Logan...
, among others. This resulted in discussion in a Smash Hits inerview, with Craig explaining to the Goss brothers what 'Pish' Meant. Their debut album, Five Fingers, Four Fingers, a Thumb, a Facelift and a New Identity followed in 1989. Dempsey departed to join Dawson, and was replaced by Mr. Jason (Jason Boyce) of the Dandilion Adventure, and the band were signed up by top indie label Blast First
Blast First
Blast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label, Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. It was named after a phrase taken from the first number of the radical Vorticist journal Blast, published by Wyndham Lewis in 1914...
. Their first release on Blast First was the 1990 EP Eyeball Origami Aftermath Wit Vegetarian Leg. A further single 23 Skinner followed in January 1991 before their second album was issued, Pish In Your Sleazebag. Touring Europe and playing shows with Dutch band Revenge Of The Carrots and old colleagues Dog Faced Hermans, the band split up in 1992, before which they recorded a session for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. Two years later, their last, posthumous, release was the Barbed Anal Exciter EP.
Phil Eaglesham and Richie Dempsey are currently both members of DeSalvo, along with Allan Stewart of Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
and Alex Grant, formerly of Idlewild. The band released their debut album on Mogwai's Rock Action Records in 2008.
Musical style
Musically they were influenced by both the US independent hardcore of Butthole Surfers, Killdozer and British indie bands such as Big Flame and BogshedBogshed
Bogshed were an independent band formed in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England in 1984, originally as The Amazing Roy North Penis Band.-History:...
, and attempted to take the sound of those bands to a new extreme. They have since been compared to the Japanese noise rock of the Boredoms and Ruins. p6's vocals have been described as "inhuman, reminiscent of nothing so much as Sesame Street's Grover with electrodes affixed to his genitals", with their music described as "the weirdest, fastest and heaviest thing ever to come cartwheeling out of the British Isles".
Albums
- Five Fingers, Four Thingers, a Thumb, a Facelift and a New Identity (1989) Moksha Recordings (1000 Copies)
- Pish In Your Sleazebag (1991) Blast FirstBlast FirstBlast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label, Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. It was named after a phrase taken from the first number of the radical Vorticist journal Blast, published by Wyndham Lewis in 1914...
Singles and EPs
- Bros are Pish Etched 7" EP (1988) Moksha Recordings (500 Copies)
- Eyeball Origami Aftermath Wit Vegetarian Leg 7" EP (1990) Blast First
- "23 Skinner (Have a Bang on This Number)" 12" (1991) Blast First
- Barbed Anal Exciter 10" EP (1000 copies) (1993) Blast First
Other rarities
- 'Three Steps To Heaven' - Cassette EP (1987) (50 copies)
- 'Asylum Suck' - A Pox On The Poll Tax Compilation LP (1988) (Revolt)
- 'Collectivisation Of Breasts In Moscow' - Media Pack (1989) (3 Copies)
- 'Groin Death' & '3 Pottery Owls' on Pathological Compilation 1989
- 'Spanish Castle Magic' on 'If 6 Was 9' Hendrix Tribute (1989)(Imaginary)
- 'Jimi's Magic Spanish Castle (Live)' - Flexi, Catalogue Magazine 1989
- 'Manic Depression (Live) - Flexi, Ablaze! Magazine 1989
- 'Born To Be Wild (In the Style Of Bogshed)' - Unreleased Steppenwolf Tribute 1989 (Imaginary)
- 'Eyeball Origami Aftermath Wit Vegetarian Leg' VHS Promo 1990
- John Peel Radio Session, BBC June 1991
- P6 Lyric Booklet - Ltd Edition of 23, 1998